Gina Wenger has been a professor at Minnesota State University, Mankato since 2002. She mainly teaches Art Education classes, where she trains people looking to be K-12 art teachers. Throughout the years that she has taught here, she has also taught classes such as: Gender in Art, Harlem Renaissance History, History of the Japanese American Internment Camps, and many different kinds of art classes.
Gina believes that her biggest accomplishment in her life, so far, has been completing her PhD and being able to teach while remaining true to herself and her values in education. She has seen many people lose track of who they were, and she hopes to never have that issue. Gina is a very compassionate woman. She is always trying to keep up with the needs of her students, family, and friends. She wants to always be someone that her loved ones can come to for guidance and help with their problems. Her one goal for the present is “to help make the world more compassionate and less fearful of difference.”
For the past year she has been working on a children’s book. The book will be about the Japanese American internment camps. She is both writing and illustrating this book. Gina told me, “I love the project, and have just a few more elements to revise before I send out the next draft.” When she first started the project, she was afraid that she would “burn out” from the demands, but the opposite happened. She loves working for hours on the project.
Gina Wenger is one of many beautiful and strong women at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She works hard every day to be the best that she can be and to make sure that everyone around her is happy. Congratulations Gina, for being a remarkable human being! Look out for her upcoming book. There’s no doubt that it will be just as amazing as she is.